This weekend we celebrate Saints Peter & Paul. It is the feast that celebrates the love of two men who loved Christ to the end through very different lives. In Paul we have the life of one who, after his conversion from the killing of Christians, became the greatest missionary, evangelist and apostle in the history of the Church; and in Peter we see a simple fisherman, who despite his inconstancy was made the Rock on which Christ founded the Church, and the first Pope. It was by the fortitude of their lives that they have become the two pillars of the Church. Whenever we gaze at the tower of our church, we see their images: Peter stands looking south towards Rome, with the Papal Pallium draped over his shoulders and holding the keys of the kingdom of Heaven given to him by our Lord; Paul looks northwards, holding his Letters to the various Christian communities and with the sword, symbol of his martyrdom. We invoke their joint intercession on this their feast, for the needs of the Church. We pray most especially for the intentions of Peter’s successor, Pope Francis, that in the words of the ancient prayer, the Lord may preserve him and give him life and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

Next Sunday (5th) we shall have our Annual Parish Meeting and Garden Party. This begins at 18.30 in the Parish Centre and is always an enjoyable get-together for the Parish. I extend an invitation here to everyone, but it is especially intended as a way of thanking all of you who are engaged in the life of the Parish Family: so many of you do important but unseen work, and the APM and social gathering gives me the opportunity to thank you in this way and together celebrate the accomplishments and aspirations we share. God bless you all!